SciTechDaily

Koalas survived a climate-driven population crash 100,000 years ago, and new genomic research is helping scientists better protect the species today. A major genomic study has transformed scientists’ understanding of koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) evolution, showing that the species underwent a dramatic population decline about 100,000 years ago, long before humans reached Australia. Researchers …

A new study untangles the complex microbial history of Ötzi the Iceman, revealing which microorganisms originated during his lifetime and which arrived long after his death. For more than 5,000 years, Ötzi the Iceman has carried an invisible community of microbes through ice, time, and modern museum preservation. Now, scientists have taken the most detailed [...]

Lower vitamin C levels were linked to reduced brain volume and weaker neural connectivity in older adults, suggesting a potential connection between nutrition and brain health. Could a common vitamin help preserve the brain as we age? A new study of more than 2,000 older adults in Japan found that people with lower levels of [...]

Scientists discovered a surprising gut-heart connection that may help prevent sleep apnea from causing serious cardiovascular damage. Sleep apnea affects millions of people worldwide and is known to raise the risk of serious cardiovascular problems. Now, researchers have identified a potential new treatment target that could help reduce some of the condition’s harmful effects. Findings [...]

A study suggests pigeons navigate using iron-rich immune cells in their livers that can respond to Earth’s magnetic field. The findings may solve a decades-old mystery about bird navigation and reveal a surprising new sensory role for the immune system. Pigeons are famous for their ability to travel long distances and still find their way [...]

NASA’s new electric propulsion engine set a U.S. power record and could transform future Mars missions. The thrusters use much less fuel than chemical rockets while gradually reaching extremely high speeds. Imagine you’re part of the fourth crewed mission to Mars. Before launch, engineers promise that the Odyssey spacecraft will deliver the smoothest journey ever [...]

A major international trial suggests an experimental anti-clotting drug may lower the risk of repeat strokes without the dangerous bleeding complications tied to many current treatments. For decades, stroke specialists have faced a frustrating tradeoff: stronger anti-clotting drugs can reduce the risk of another stroke, but they also raise the danger of serious bleeding. Now, [...]

Ancient genomes from northwest Europe show that farming, foraging, migration, and marriage shaped prehistory in ways far more complex than earlier models suggested. When ancient DNA research began drawing major attention a little over a decade ago, many geneticists came to believe that earlier ideas about how modern humans populated Europe needed to be reconsidered. [...]

A 59,000-year-old tooth hints that Neanderthals may have treated infections with stone tools. Long before modern dentistry, Neanderthals may already have understood something crucial about pain: where it came from and how to relieve it. A 59,000-year-old tooth discovered in Siberia contains evidence that one of our extinct relatives may have deliberately drilled into an [...]

A prehistoric Pyrenees cave may have been an early copper-processing camp repeatedly used for thousands of years, with archaeologists also uncovering child remains and symbolic jewelry. Archaeologists working high in the eastern Pyrenees have uncovered evidence that a prehistoric cave may have been used for early copper processing. The site contains numerous hearths filled with [...]

A new technology called LinCx allows scientists to create custom electrical connections between neurons with high precision. Researchers say it may help treat disorders caused by damaged brain circuits. Damage to brain circuits plays a major role in many neurological disorders. Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine have developed a custom biological “wire” that [...]

Climate scientists have formally challenged a US government report they say incorrectly downplayed clear evidence of human-driven warming. A leading climate scientist is challenging “demonstrably incorrect” claims in a major US government report that he says misrepresented his research and minimized the role of human activity in global warming. Prof Benjamin Santer, an Honorary Professor [...]

Scientists in Germany have found that microscopic plastic particles make up a measurable share of urban air pollution, with tire wear emerging as the dominant source. Airborne plastic pollution is attracting more scientific attention, but much remains unknown about where these particles are found and how they affect health. New chemical analyses from Leipzig now [...]

Scientists discovered that some of Earth’s supposed earliest animal fossils were actually giant ancient microbes. Ancient microfossils discovered in Brazil are changing scientists’ understanding of early life on Earth. Structures once believed to be traces left behind by tiny marine animals have now been identified as fossilized communities of microscopic bacteria and algae instead. The [...]

Researchers have uncovered an unexpected biological process that may allow the body to directly control stored sugar, challenging decades of scientific understanding. Researchers at WEHI have identified a previously unknown way the body controls sugar storage, a discovery that challenges long-standing biology concepts and could open new directions for disease treatment. Published in Nature, the […

Warm, deep water is shifting closer to Antarctica, threatening ice shelves and altering global ocean circulation, with implications for sea level and climate. A long-term analysis of ocean data has revealed that heat stored deep in the ocean is moving closer to Antarctica, raising concerns about the stability of the ice shelves that surround the [...]

Curiosity just found molecules on Mars tied to the chemistry of life, hinting at a more habitable past. NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered a wide variety of organic molecules on Mars, including compounds often viewed as essential ingredients for the origin of life on Earth. These results come from a chemical experiment carried out on [...]

A common ornamental flower may hold untapped potential as a heat-stable, functional protein source.h3> Rising demand for protein-rich diets has fueled a surge in plant-based ingredients, but most come from crops grown specifically for that purpose. Researchers are now looking at a different opportunity: turning overlooked plant materials into useful nutrients. One candidate is the [...]

A new study links fatty acid metabolism to rheumatoid arthritis treatment, revealing a natural compound that disrupts inflammation by targeting a previously overlooked enzyme. A compound derived from a traditional medicinal plant may offer a new way to treat rheumatoid arthritis by targeting how the body processes fats rather than simply suppressing the immune system. [...]

A tiny ancient reptile just revealed the moment breathing as we know it began — and it changed life on Earth forever. Every breath you take traces back to a deep evolutionary past. The steady rise of your chest, the muscles between your ribs expanding outward, and the flow of air into your lungs feel [...]